Environment is polluted after walking of thousands of devotees. Camping sites are smelly sometimes due to droppings.Other principles are applied as same as first few days of Pada Yathra.
Special thanks Dr.Lathaharan and Sugath for giving this opportunity to me.

This was my third experience of Pada Yathra (පාද යාත්‍රා) and I wanted to do it in different manner. I met a group of people with kind hearts and having genuine ideas to help devotees at Pada Yathra in my second visit. We were the first group who reached Katharagama in 2015 Pada Yathra and this group of people at volunteer medical camp were friendly with us. I decided with my friend Nirosh to help this medical camp in 2016 Pada Yathra.

The idea of this volunteer medical camp is from Dr.A.Lathaharan and Mr.Sugath was the back bone of the work. This was the third year of the medical camp and it happened since beginning of the Pada Yathra till last day.
There is a medical camp conducted by MOH office Panama and Navy medical units at Kuda Kabiliththa (කුඩා කැබිලිත්ත) beyond Kumbukkan Oya (කුඹුක්කන් ඔය). But there is no medical help for devotees till they reach Warahana and this is the most difficult stretch of Pada Yathra due to it’s dryness. Therefore having a medical camp at Lin Thuna (ලිo තුන) (seems the middle point of this stretch) is a good idea.
It was really difficult to get permission from wild life authority to establish a volunteer medical camp at middle of Yala in first time. But the service they have done was really appreciated by the government in second time and gave the permission easily to conduct it in third time.
It is not an easy task to conduct a volunteer medical camp inside a forest reserve for 15 days. It is a real challenge to gather money, human resources and other resources. Dr. Lathaharan and Sugath have faced this challenge this time and got help from their friends.

I decided to join with the medical camp for 3days in middle of the Pada Yathra and later it cut down to two days due to busy schedule. We planned to walk to Katharagama from Lin Thuna (ලිo තුන) in 3rd day and it was another challenge to finish 28km in one day.

Kasun and I got overnight Colombo-Panama (පානම) bus from Pettah on 6th night and Nirosh joined with us from Thanamalwila. Next day morning we reached Panama. After having breakfast and refreshing from Panama we got into our official transport from Panama to Kumbukkan Oya.

Now onwards I would like to divide this journey into three steps:
1. Panama to Lin Thuna by vehicles
2. Two days at Medical camp
3. Walking from Lin Thuna to Katharagama in third day

Panama to Lin Thuna by vehicles

We were collected by an official vehicle from Panama and reached Kuda Kabiliththa Dewalaya in two hours time. On our way we stopped at Okanda (ඔකද) for a while and it was the time of Pooja at Dewalaya. The bank of Kumbukkan Oya was full of devotees. Then we crossed Kumbukkan Oya at dedicated place where water level was considerably low compared to first few days of Pada Yathra. We had to wait for few hours till we get our next transportation to Lin Thuna. We bathed at Kumbukkan oya and slept under the shades of trees. Sugath came to accompany us and we reached Medical camp at Lin Thuna in late afternoon.

Passing Panama Lake

Okanda Dewalaya

Fire Balls

Carrying Sri Skandha statue

Tamil traditional music

Carrying Sri Skandha statue

Devotion…..

Okanda Dewalaya premises

කිරි සරුවත්

Colorful

Jackal is moving in his best to escape from our vehicle

Passing Bagure…(බාගුරේ)

Devotees crossing Bagure

Devotees crossing Bagure

Kumana Willuwa (කුමන විල්ලුව)

Crowd at Kuda Kabiliththa

Kuda Kabiliththa Dewalaya

Flames…..

Temporary camping site at Kuda Kabiliththa

Preparing Lunch….

The place to cross Kumbukkan Oya

Other side of the bank at Kumbukkan Oya

It is a safe place to bath as well

A young devotee

Two days at medical camp

Two days at medical camp was an amazing experience in my life. It was not limited to treating patients. We have prepared an herbal tea and given to all devotees passing Lin Thuna. I can still remember the first taste of this herbal tea in 2015. Devotees loved it and some asked for 4/5 cups per time. It was a challenge to treat patients with limited resources and language barrier. We conducted the medical camp since dawn till 10pm. Night was reserved for bathing in nearby lagoon and roam around.

There was a high flow of devotees in those two days. Lin Thuna was a good camping site.

Dressing of a wound at feet

Distributing herbal tea

Sugath is carrying a collapsed patient

Attending to an emergency…..

Crops are behind everything….

Giving Herbal Drink

Attending to a little one

Having a break

We used two pots of this size to prepare herbal drink

Preparing dinner

The lagoon near Lin Thuna. People reached Lin Thuna by crossing the lagoon as it cut down some distance.

Devotees crossing the lagoon

Tea time

Dr. Ruwan is treating a patient

It is essential to have good fire wood store to make herbal tea

Mother and son

It is nice to have a warm cup of tea during the journey

It is nice to have a warm cup of tea during the journey

Eyes of hopes

Though it is a traditional walk, it is a fun for youth

The pond closer to Lin Thuna

Evening sky

Age is not a limiting factor

Devotees crossing the lagoon

Devotees crossing the lagoon

Singing traditional songs

Small Kovil at Lin Thuna

Getting some rewards after Kovil Pooja

Ready to have a tractor ride

Walking from Lin Thuna to Katharagama in one day
It was a challenge to do this stretch (28km) in one day but we accepted it. We started the journey by 5.30am and said good bye to Dr. Lathaharan and team. Devotees also started the journey as early as possible to avoid the heat comes in afternoon. But almost all of them stay overnight at Menik Ganga but we wanted to finish it by a day.
There was a massive Dansala at Yalewela (යලේවෙල), conducted by Kandy Diyawadana Nilame and his team. We reached Menik Ganga around 11am and had a dip to refresh us. It was pleasure to meet the team of St. Johns ambulance service also conducting a health camp. We restarted journey by around 1.30pm and noticed a huge settlement of devotees at Warahana (වරහන). After passing Warahana we were only three devotees walking towards Katharagama. It was around 5-5.30pm when we reached Katagamuwa entrance and we were asked to stay at Katagamuwa entrance by crops because of wild elephants roaming in the road. But we didn’t want to stay there.
We shouted “Haro Hara” -හරෝ හරා to escape from wild elephants at Katagamuwa and Katharagama reserves. We were invited by army jeep to drop at Katharagama before last three or four kilometers. It ended up my third experience of Katharagama Pada Yathra.

Starting the journey at dawn

Starting the journey at dawn

Starting the journey at dawn

Crossing a lagoon

Crossing a lagoon

Uncertain life

With the help of stick

Passing Uda Potana Eliya (උඩ පොතාන එලිය)

Army soldiers are being shifted to their duty points. Sulochana-the journalist also there.

Nirosh and Kasun…my companions

Tree art

Passing Pilinnawa Eliya (පිළින්නව එළිය)

It is like a desert

Tree adopted for dry weather and wind

Massive Dansala at Yalewela

Reaching Yalewela

Dansala at Yalewela (යාලේවල)

The way to carry goods

At St. Johns health camp at Menik Ganga

Little devotee

Crossing the section at bank of Menik Ganga

Though she is sick, wants to complete the walk

Water Melon Dansala

It is dry and dusty

Reaching Warahana (වරහන). Massive settlement of devotees there

Crossing the bridge at Warahana over Menik Ganga

Walking in Yala block-2

Traditional flag

කුකුල් කටු

Passing Katagamuwa Lake

Few wild life encounters

Few wild life encounters

Reaching Katagamuwa entrance

Devotees camping at Katagamuwa entrance

Blessed by God Katharagama….

Appreciation of the medical camp by media

කතරගම දෙවියන්ගේ පිහිටයි

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